Footwork Training Mat

ABSTRACT

A footwork training mat of present invention is provided to assist the basketball players to improve their basketball skills such as dribbling, footwork, movement, positioning, and generally providing crucial accountability by practicing over the footwork training mat equipped with its non-skid under layer for optimal efficiency and safety. According to one embodiment, the footwork training mat of present invention includes a top surface divided into four quadrants, wherein each quadrant of the mat further includes various shapes strategically arranged to help the user to improve their basketball skill by practicing over the footwork training mat.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a training mat. More particularly, it is a footwork training mat for basketball community or players which is aimed to assist them to improve their basketball skill by practicing over the training mat.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Footwork is an essential skill in basketball. It requires continued and intensive practice over time to skillfully master it. When it comes to footwork training it is extremely difficult to do it without a proper accessory such as a footwork training mat. There are numerous footwork training mats such as the ones disclosed in the Published Patents Nos. US 2018-0043205 A1, US 2014-0272854 A1 and US 2002-0098947 A1 for exercise and sports conditioning.

However, none of them really assist the user to improve their footwork and enhance their basketball skills as they generally lack the accountability tools the present invention offers. There are a lot of mat designs that do not provide enough patterns on the footwork training mat for the user to get creative when it comes to optimization in their movement to perform certain tasks. The lack of design patterns on numerous footwork training mat limit the amount of different footwork and movement that the user is able to maneuver.

Therefore, there exist a need of a footwork training mat that may enhance body movement, improve footwork and basketball skills. Further, there exist a need of a footwork training mat that may include various pattern, shapes and colors to assist user with the movement and placement of the feet and arms in relation to the body.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure overcomes one or more shortcomings of the prior art and provide additional advantages discussed throughout the present disclosure. Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed disclosure.

The present invention provides a footwork training mat for practicing body movement, footwork and basketball skill by the users from the basketball community. The footwork training mat of present invention assists the users when it comes to the movement and placement of the user's feet and arms in relation to their body.

According to one embodiment, the footwork training mat of present invention includes a top surface divided into four major training areas or quadrants which further includes plurality of various shapes such as circles, rectangles, squares, rectangles, etc. arranged in strategic patterns as a visual aid for the user during practice. In addition to the combination of different patterns and shapes, the plurality of shapes are made in different colors so the user can distinguish different areas on the footwork training mat.

According to one embodiment, the footwork training mat is further provided for the user to train their pattern of footwork by the maneuverability of their weight distribution, length and width of their feet, and leg placement in relation to the footwork training mat. The mat of present invention assists the user in drills and workouts in order to improve their dribble placement and timing, which is essential in order to obtain the best training results and optimal safety for the user.

According to one embodiment, size of the present footwork training mat may vary to conform the size or height of the user. Moreover, the bottom surface of present footwork training mat includes various shapes or a texture protruding out of the surface to make it anti-skid and keep it stationary while the mat is being used.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, exemplary constructions of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and structures disclosed herein. The description of a method step or a structure referenced by a numeral in a drawing is applicable to the description of that method step or structure shown by that same numeral in any subsequent drawing herein.

FIG. 1 shows the top view of one exemplary embodiment of the footwork training mat of present invention.

FIG. 2 shows side view of one exemplary embodiment of the footwork training mat made with two different layers of material.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of one another embodiment of the footwork training mat made of three different layers.

FIG. 4 shows a bottom surface non-skid surface of the footwork training mat of present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the aforesaid drawbacks of the above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will now be described in greater detail. Also, the following description includes various specific details and are to be regarded as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that: without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure and its various embodiments there may be any number of changes and modifications described herein.

According to one embodiment, the invention provides training mat or more specifically footwork training mats for basketball players or community. The footwork training mat of present invention is primarily intended to serve the basketball community to improve numerous skills such as to train their pattern of footwork by the maneuverability of their weight distribution, length and width of their feet and leg placement in relation to the footwork training mat.

According to one embodiment, the footwork training mat of present invention assists the user in drills and workouts or in practice sessions to improve dribble placement and timing of the user. The footwork training mat of present invention provides a frame of reference in visual aid while user is practicing, to create and control the users' footwork along with many different stances such as practicing body movement, basketball skills, etc. The mat of present invention includes a top surface having a plurality of shapes embossed or printed in strategic pattern and different colors to provide visual aid for the user during practice to improve their footwork and hence basketball skill.

Referring to FIG. 1 which discloses top view of one exemplary embodiment of the footwork training mat 100 of present invention. According to present embodiment, the footwork training mat 100 is divided into four major training areas/quadrant [10, 20, 30 & 40] and each quadrant of the mat 100 further includes plurality of various imprinted or embossed shapes such as circles, squares, rectangles, etc. placed on specific location within the respective quadrant of the footwork training mat 100.

According to present embodiment, the footwork training mat 100 includes: a first training area or a first quadrant 10 at the top left corner of the mat 100, a second training area or a second quadrant 20 at the top right corner, a third training area or a third quadrant 30 at the bottom left corner, and a fourth training area or a fourth quadrant 40 at the bottom right corner of the present footwork training mat 100. Further, the footwork training mat 100 of present embodiment includes a circle embossed or imprinted at the center of the mat 100.

According to present exemplary embodiment, each training area or quadrant of the footwork training mat 100 of present invention further includes a square frame 50 made of a L-shaped frames at vertices of the square frame 50, a first solid circle 60 made at the top left corner [made at a corner according to position of its respective quadrant] of the square frame 50, a first cross-hair located at the center of the first solid circle 60, a first rectangle 80 configured near the respective corner of the mat 100 further including an eccentric circles 90. According to present embodiment, each of the four quadrant (10, 20, 30 & 40) includes same number of shapes embossed or imprinted within them, wherein the location of the first circle 60 within each square frame 50 and the location of the rectangle 80 follows the location of respective quadrant within which it is embossed or imprinted, i.e. the first circle 60 within the square frame 50 of the first top-left quadrant 10 is also made at the top-left corner of the square frame 50 and the rectangle 80 is also made at the top-left corner of the first top-left quadrant 10.

FIG. 2 shows a side of one exemplary embodiment of the footwork training mat 100 made with two different flexible layers (200 & 300) of same material or different materials glued together. According to present embodiment, the layers of the mat 100 is made from any of, but not limited to, a Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), rubber or PU leather. According to one embodiment, the bottom surface of the second layer 30 may include different shapes protruding out of the surface to make it anti-slip in order to keep it stable and in place while it is in use. According to one embodiment, the size of the mat 100 may vary depending on the height and size of the user.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of one another embodiment of the footwork training mat 100 made of three different layers (200, 300 & 400), wherein the middle layer 400 is included to increase the flexibility or to provide cushioning to the body while practicing to decrease chances of injuries. While, FIG. 4 shows view of a non-skid bottom surface 500 of the footwork training mat 100 having various shaped/textured protrudes over the surface to make it an absolute anti-slip surface which is essential in order to obtain the best and safest training results.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein. 

1. A rectangular footwork training mat is comprising of: a top surface divided into a four training areas or a quadrants, wherein each of the quadrant further includes a plurality of shapes strategically arranged by embossing or imprinting within the quadrants; and a bottom surface having texture of various shape protruding out of the surface to prevent the rectangular footwork training mat from skidding while in use by a user.
 2. The rectangular footwork training mat of claim 1, wherein the plurality of shapes within each of the quadrant includes a square frame made of L-shaped frames at vertices, a first circle within the square frame, a cross hair within the first circle, a rectangle beside the square frame and the second eccentric circles within the rectangle.
 3. The rectangular footwork training mat of claim 1, wherein the top surface further includes a main circle at the center.
 4. The rectangular footwork training mat of claim 1, wherein the mat is made of a multiple layers of same or different materials by gluing together.
 5. The rectangular footwork training mat of claim 4, wherein the multiple layers is made of a flexible material to enable the user to roll the mat when not in use.
 6. The rectangular footwork training mat of claim 1, wherein the multiple layers are made from any of a Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), rubber or PU leather.
 7. The rectangular footwork training mat of claim 1, wherein the plurality of shapes and a border lines of the plurality shapes are made of various colors to visually distinguish each shape of the plurality of shapes. 